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TITLE:
Outsourcing in U.S. Cities, Ambulances and Elderly Voters

AUTHOR(S):
Matthew J. Holian, The Ohio State University

DOCUMENT TYPE: Article

ABSTRACT:
Many of the largest cities in the United States outsource emergency medical services. This paper develops a political economy model of city service provision. Empirical analysis of emergency ambulances in the 200 largest U.S. cities finds that a number of variables are significant determinants of amblu- ance outsourcing, including the fraction of a city's voters over the age of 65. This finding provides evidence that interest-group politics are important, and suggests a particular shape of the contracting cost curve.